System and method for mapping a voice identity across multiple telephony networks with time attributes

ABSTRACT

A method and system includes: one or more phone systems; a policy processor coupled to the phone systems; and a voice identity mapping policy stored in a data storage, the data storage being accessible to the policy processor. The voice identity mapping policy includes: a plurality of search voice identities mapped to one or more target voice identities, where the plurality of the search voice identities are applicable to a plurality of users, where each of the search voice identities and the target voice identities comprises a username for one of the plurality of users, and time attributes indicating when the voice identity mapping policies are valid. When a voice identity for a recipient of a call is received, the policy processor checks for the voice identity mapping policy associated with the voice identity. The call is then forwarded to the target voice identity in the voice identity mapping policy.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/980,046, entitled “System and Method for Mappinga Voice Identity Across Multiple Telephony Networks with TimeAttributes”, filed on Nov. 2, 2004.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

This invention relates generally to telecommunications, and morespecifically, to how calls are routed based on mapping multiple voiceidentities.

2. Related Arts

The widespread adoption of numerous telephony and data communicationtechnologies such as cellular phones, voice over IP, virtual privatenetworks, broadband access, digital subscriber lines, cable modems andother access methods have changed the way people use phones and the waypeople communicate. Increasingly, people are associated with multipletelephone numbers that require callers who are trying to reach them totry multiple telephone numbers.

Typically, a corporate telephone system user will have a corporateextension telephone number, a personal or corporate mobile telephone andpossibly a remote home or branch office telephone number. To finallyreach a user, a caller may need to dial two or more telephone numbersbefore they finally reach the user to whom they wish to speak. Inaddition to the time it takes the caller to dial multiple telephonenumbers, it takes even more time for the user to then retrieve multiplemessages when a caller leaves repetitive voice messages on multiplevoice message systems. In this scenario, time is not the only asset atstake. Information can also be lost or confused by redundant voicemessages on multiple systems making for inefficient communication thatcan cost time, money and opportunities.

In one scenario of a work place, a user typically has an office phone onhis desk, and carries a personal cellular phone. When the user is in hisoffice, he can be reached on his office phone and his cellular phone.When he is in a meeting or in a break room, he can only be reacheddirectly on his cellular phone. When a caller tries to reach a user onhis office phone and cannot reach him, the caller has to try to call theuser's cellular phone. When the user cannot be reached on either phones,the caller may decide to leave him a voice mail on either one or more ofthe user's voice answering systems.

In another scenario, the user visits a branch office in a differentcity. He carries along his cellular phone. In the branch office, he hasan office phone with a phone number different from that of his originaloffice phone. The user would need to inform callers of the new phonenumber if he wants to be reached on the branch office phone. In thisscenario, callers may have to try three phone numbers: the originaloffice phone number, a temporary office phone number, and a cellularphone number before they actually reach the user.

In another scenario, the user travels abroad to another country. Hedecides not to bring his cellular phone because he does not haveinternational roaming services. Instead, he rents a local cellularphone. He would then need to inform potential callers of the newtemporary phone number. Callers not informed of the new temporary phonenumber would have to try his office phone, cellular phone and thenperhaps leave him a voice mail, possibly never knowing whether or notthe user receives the voice message. The user would then have to checkhis voice messages very frequently in order to respond to the callspromptly. In this scenario, the user severely limits his accessibility.

In yet another scenario, a user occasionally works from home accordingto some schedule. While working at home, the user's home phone is hisprimary means for communication. For callers who are aware that the userworks from home on any particular day, they would call his home phone.Other callers who do not know the user's work schedule would have toleave voice mail on his office phone. In order to ensure that he isresponding to telephone calls promptly, the user would need to check hisoffice based voice messages continuously throughout the day. Despite thefact that a user has access to one or more telephones, it is not alwayseasy for callers to reach them easily.

Thus there is a need for a system that transparently allows a caller toefficiently reach a user or his primary voice message system.

SUMMARY

This invention resides in a system and method to map a voice identity toa telephone number. The voice identity including a username. A user hasa plurality of phones and each phone has a phone number. The userinforms potential callers of the user's voice identity, which includesthe user's username. The user has immediate access to one or more of thephones. When a caller places a call using the user's voice identity, thephone call is routed to one of his immediately accessible phones or adesignated voice application such as voice mail, based on a voiceidentity mapping policy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is block diagram of voice identity number with a voice identitysub-number.

FIG. 2 is block diagram of a voice identity mapping.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of voice identity mapping policy inputprocessing.

FIG. 4 a is a flow chart of centralized voice identity mapping policycall processing.

FIG. 4 b is a flow chart of distributed voice identity mapping policycall processing.

FIG. 5 illustrates an operator offering voice identity mapping services.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Voice Identity

A voice identity is a designation assigned to a specific user thatcallers can use to reach that user. Typically, a voice identity is atelephone number or an extension number. FIG. 1 illustrates a voiceidentity with voice identity sub number. Here, 102 is the primary voiceidentity number and 104 is an optional voice identity sub-number. Ifmultiple users share the same voice identity number, voice identitysub-number 104 further distinguishes an individual user. In oneembodiment of the present invention the voice identity number 102corresponds to a main corporate telephone number and voice identitysub-number 104 corresponds to an internal extension number.

In one embodiment, the user has a residential phone. The residentialphone number is the user's voice identity number, without a voiceidentity sub-number.

In one embodiment, the user works for a company. The user has an officedesk phone, which is assigned an extension number. Within the corporatesystem, the office desk phone extension is the user's voice identitynumber without a voice identity sub-number. Optionally, in the sameembodiment, the user is also assigned an external phone number that isused outside the company. The external phone number is yet another voiceidentity.

In one embodiment, a company has a main business phone number and theuser is assigned an extension number. To reach the user, an externalcaller would first dial the company's business phone number, and thenthe extension. In this embodiment, the voice identity comprises twoparts, the business phone number is the voice identity number and theextension is the voice identity sub-number.

In one embodiment, the user is assigned an internal extension that istied to a voice mail box but is not tied to any office phone. In such anembodiment the internal extension is the user's voice identity.

In one embodiment, a mobile phone number is a voice identity without asub-number.

In one embodiment, the user subscribes to voice over IP services,receives a username with which callers within the voice over IP servicecan use to reach him. In such an embodiment, the username can be a voiceidentity without sub-number. In one embodiment, a voice over IP serviceis based on instant messaging (IM) technologies, such as YahooMessenger™, Microsoft Messenger™, AOL™ IM, Skype™ or other IM-basedvoice services. In one embodiment, the username can be an IM identity,or an email account identity. In one embodiment, the voice over IPservices include a corporate phone service, and the username can be anemployee's computer user identity.

In one embodiment, a user receives a username and, additionally, a phonenumber with which callers outside the voice over IP service can reachhim. Both the username and the phone number can be voice identities.Optionally, the voice over IP service provider has a main phone number,and each user is assigned an internal number. A caller outside theservice first calls the voice over IP service provider's main phonenumber, and then enters the internal number to reach the user. The voiceover IP service provider main phone number is the voice identity number,and the internal number is the voice identity sub-number.

In one embodiment, a caller intends to leave a user a voice mailmessage. In this embodiment, the voice mail number is the user's voiceidentity. Typically, a voice mail number is a phone number. If more thanone user uses the same phone number as a voice identity number, thatvoice mail number can further include a sub-number to identify aspecific user. The sub-number is the voice identity sub-number for theuser.

Voice Identity Examples:

-   -   1. +1 (415) 555-1234    -   2. x9876    -   3. +1 (510) 555-6789 ext4567

In the above examples; example 1 has voice identity number +1 (415)555-1234 and no voice identity sub-number, example 2 has voice identitynumber extension 9876 and no voice identity sub-number, example 3 hasvoice identity number +1 (510) 555-6789 and voice identity sub-number4567.

A voice identity can be a phone number with which a user receives thephone call. Typically the voice identity is associated with a phone atwhich the user receives the call. In one embodiment, the user does notintend to receive phone calls, but rather to receive voice mail instead.In such an embodiment, there is no phone associated with a phone numbervoice identity. Instead, the voice identity is merely an access numberto call the user's voice mail system.

Voice Identity Mapping

A voice identity mapping allows a user to associate a voice identity toanother voice identity. FIG. 2 illustrates a voice identity mapping.Here, 202 is the search voice identity that callers actually call toreach a specific user and 204 is the target voice identity at which theuser will receive the call. Typically, when a caller calls the searchvoice identity, the call is forwarded to the target voice identity. Incommon phone usage, the search voice identity is the same as the targetvoice identity, such that no call forwarding is necessary.

Optionally, a voice identity mapping further comprises a time attribute206. The time attribute indicates when a voice identity mapping isvalid.

Voice identity mappings examples:

-   -   1. Search voice identity: ext. 4567        -   Target voice identity: 1-415-555-9876,            -   is valid:            -   Monday through Friday: 12 am-8 am and,            -   Monday through Friday: 6 pm-12 am    -   2. Search voice identity: 1-650-555-4321,        -   Target voice identity: 1-510-555-4165,            -   is valid:            -   Saturday through Sunday.    -   3. Search voice identity: 1-650-555-4322,        -   Target voice identity: 1-510-555-4167,            -   is valid:            -   Sep. 21, 1995 to Mar. 3, 1996.

Example 1 illustrates the search voice identity is extension 4567,without sub-number, with the target voice identity 1-415-555-9876,without a sub-number, and a time attribute that reads the mapping isvalid between 12 midnight to 8 am Monday through Friday and between 6 pmin the evening to 12 midnight Monday through Friday.

Example 2 illustrates a search voice identity 1-650-555-4321 and targetvoice identity 1-510-555-4165 with a time attribute indicating themapping is valid between 12 midnight Saturday to 12 midnight Monday.

Example 3 illustrates a search voice identity 1-650-555-4322 and targetvoice identity 1-510-555-4167 with a time attribute reading the mappingis active between the dates Sep. 21, 1995 and Mar. 3, 1996 inclusively.

Voice Identity Mapping Policy

A voice identity mapping policy is a group of one or more voice identitymappings. In one embodiment, a voice identity mapping policy appliesspecifically to one user.

In one embodiment, a voice identity mapping policy applies to a group ofusers. In this embodiment, some voice identity mappings may be specificto individual users while other voice identity mappings may apply to aplurality of users.

Voice Identity Mapping Policy Example

Voice Identity Mapping Policy 1:

-   -   1. Search voice identity: extension 4567,        -   target voice identity: 1-415-555-2300,            -   is valid:            -   Monday through Friday: 12 am-8 am,            -   Monday to Friday: 6 pm-12 am and,            -   Saturday through Sunday.    -   2. Search voice identity: 1-800-555-5600/4567,        -   target voice identity: 1-415-555-2300,            -   is valid:            -   Monday through Friday: 12 am-8 am,            -   Monday through Friday: 6 pm-12 am, and,            -   Saturday through Sunday.    -   3. Search voice identity: 1-415-555-1234,        -   target voice identity: 1-415-555-2300,            -   is valid:            -   Monday through Friday: 12 am-8 am, and,            -   Monday through Friday: 6 pm-12 am.    -   4. Search voice identity: 1-415-555-2598,        -   target voice identity: 1-415-555-2300.            -   is valid: Always.    -   5. Search voice identity: 1-415-555-2300,        -   target voice identity: 1-416-555-4165,            -   is valid:            -   Aug. 7, 2002 through Aug. 14, 2002.

In above Voice Identity Mapping Policy 1, the voice identity mappingpolicy has six voice identity mappings. The user is an employee in acompany. The company has a main business phone number 1-800-555-5600.The user has an office desk phone with an extension 4567. The user alsohas a personal cellular phone 1-415-555-1234. At home, the user has twophone lines. The main home phone line has number 1-415-555-2300. Thesecond home phone line, which he uses for Internet dial up access, hasnumber 1-415-555-2598. The user's parents live in Canada and have a homephone 1-416-555-4165.

Voice identity mappings 1 and 2 of Voice Identity Mapping Policy 1 aboveindicates the user desires to forward his business phone to his mainhome phone during non-working hours, weekdays between 6 pm and 8 am andweekends. Voice identity mapping 3 states calls placed to the user'scellular phone number are forwarded to his main home phone. Voiceidentity mapping 4 shows the user's second home phone line is alwaysforwarded to the main home phone line. Voice identity mapping 5 showsthe user has a vacation trip to visit his parents in Canada duringsummer of 2002, from August 7 to 14.

When a call is made, the voice identity mappings in a policy are appliedto the call. The mappings are applied until no more mapping is foundapplicable. If no mapping is found applicable in the process, the voiceidentity mapping policy is not applicable to the call. Otherwise, thefinal resulting target voice identity is used for the completion of thecall according to the voice identity mapping policy. The attributes ofall applicable mappings are enforced.

In a voice identity mapping policy, the target voice identity of a voiceidentity mapping may be a search voice identity of another voiceidentity mapping. The target voice identity of the latter mapping can bethe search voice identity of yet another voice identity mapping. It isperfectly legitimate that among a group of voice identity mappings,target voice identities and search voice identities can form atransitive chain, where a target voice identity of a voice identitymapping is the search voice identity of the next voice identity mapping.

In one embodiment, a voice identity mapping policy may not yield aresulting target voice identity when applied to a call. When thishappens, the call cannot be completed according to the voice identitymapping policy.

In one embodiment, when a call cannot be completed according to aparticular voice identity mapping policy, a policy processor uses theoriginal search voice identity as the resulting target voice identity.

In another embodiment, when a call cannot be completed according to aparticular voice identity mapping policy a policy processor rejects thecall.

In one embodiment, when a call cannot be completed according to aparticular voice identity mapping policy, a policy processor selectsanother voice identity mapping policy matching the original search voiceidentity. If there is no further matching voice identity mapping policy,the policy processor may reject the call or uses the original searchvoice identity as the resulting target voice identity.

In the example Voice Identity Mapping Policy 1 above, the target voiceidentity of voice identity mapping 1 is a search voice identity of thevoice identity mapping 5. The target voice identity of the voiceidentity mapping 5 is not a search voice identity of any voice identitymapping. During the time between 6 pm to midnight on Fridays, any callto corporate extension 4567 is forwarded to 1-415-555-2300. One or morephones associated with the resulting target voice identity will ring andthe user answers the call. If the process cannot be completed due totransitive mapping, the call cannot be completed.

In one embodiment, if a call cannot be completed due to transitivemapping, the call is forwarded to the first target voice identity.

In one embodiment, the call is forwarded to a default phone number.

Voice Identity Mapping Policy Processing

FIG. 3 illustrates the processing of voice identity mapping policy inputby a user. This process allows the user to customize his voice identitymapping policy. User 300 submits authentication data 342 to a gatekeeper310 to gain access to create, modify or query his voice identity mappingpolicy. Gatekeeper 310 retrieves stored authentication data 346 fromdata storage 330 and compares the stored data with the authenticationdata 342 submitted by user 300. If the authentication data 342 submittedby user 300 matches authentication data 346 as stored in data storage330, gatekeeper 310 grants the user access to create, modify or queryhis voice identity mapping policy. If the authentication data submittedby user 300 does not match authentication data as stored in data storage330, user 300 is denied access.

Upon successful authentication, the gatekeeper passes the user's accessinformation 344 to a policy processor 320. If the information 344indicates creation of a new voice identity mapping policy, the policyprocessor 320 verifies the correctness, by prompting the user toconfirm, and stores the new voice identity mapping policy 348 into datastorage 330. If the information 344 indicates modification of anexisting voice identity mapping policy, the policy processor 320verifies the correctness, by prompting the user to confirm, and storesthe modified voice identity mapping policy 348 into data storage 330.

In one embodiment, gatekeeper 310 is software application executed on anintegrated application server in a telephony system.

In one embodiment, gatekeeper 310 is software application executed on astand-alone computer system coupled to a telephony system.

In one embodiment, gatekeeper 310 is application specific integratedcircuit coupled to a telephony system.

In one embodiment, policy processor 320 is software application executedon an integrated application server in a telephony system.

In one embodiment, policy processor 320 is software application executedon a stand-alone computer system coupled to a telephony system.

In one embodiment, policy processor 320 is application specificintegrated circuit coupled to a telephony system.

FIGS. 4 a and 4 b illustrate how a voice identity mapping policy isapplied to an incoming call. In FIG. 4 a, a caller makes a phone callfrom a phone 450. The calling number 402 is fed to a phone system 440.The phone system 440 performs call processing to determine how to routethe call.

In one embodiment, the phone system 440 is a Class 5 telephony switch.

In one embodiment, the phone system 440 is a corporate PBX.

In one embodiment, the phone system 440 is an IP telephony systemcomprising of a soft-switch. Optionally, the IP telephony system furthercomprises a media gateway.

Upon receiving the calling number 402, the phone system 440 queries thevoice identity mapping policy processor 410. The input called number 404is fed to the policy processor 410. The policy processor 410 treats theinput called number 404 as a search voice identity. It matches thesearch voice identity 404 against the search voice identities of voiceidentity mapping policies in the database 430 through coupling 412. Ifthere is no match, the policy processor 410 informs the phone system 440through 406 that no policy applies and the phone system 440 shouldproceed with the normal call processing.

In one embodiment, policy processor 410 is software application executedon an integrated application server in phone system 440.

In one embodiment, policy processor 410 is software application executedon a stand-alone computer system coupled to phone system 440.

In one embodiment, policy processor 410 is application specificintegrated circuit coupled to phone system 440.

If there is a match, the policy processor 410 selects one matching voiceidentity mapping policy from the database 430. In one embodiment, thepolicy processor 410 selects the first matching voice identity mappingpolicy.

In one embodiment, the policy processor 410 selects the most frequentlyapplied matching voice identity mapping policy amongst all matchingvoice identity mapping policies.

In one embodiment, the policy processor 410 selects the most recentlyapplied matching voice identity mapping policy.

The policy processor 410 determines, from the policy, the first voiceidentity mapping whose search voice identity matches the input voiceidentity. It further validates the attributes of the voice identitymapping. If the attribute contains a time attribute, the policyprocessor 410 validates with the current time. If the time is not valid,the policy processor 410 determines the next voice identity mapping inthe voice identity mapping policy. If the policy processor 410 exhaustsall voice identity mappings in the selected voice identity mappingpolicy without finding a valid voice identity mapping, it selectsanother matching voice identity policy from the database 430 until nomore voice identity policies can be found, or a voice identity mappingis validated.

In one embodiment, when no voice identity policy can be found, thepolicy processor 410 informs the phone system 440 through 406 to directthe call to the phone number indicated by the input voice identity.

In one embodiment, when policy processor 410 validates a voice identitymapping, it determines the target voice identity from the voice identitymapping. Policy processor 410 uses the target voice identity as theinput voice identity, and repeats the process above to determine a voiceidentity mapping policy and a voice identity mapping.

The policy processor 410 processes accordingly and identifies a chain ofzero or more voice identity mappings that are applicable to the originalinput voice identity, with a current input voice identity. The policyprocessor 410 informs the phone system 440 through the result 406 thatthe call should be forwarded to the current input voice identity. Thephone system 440 further processes the call to the resulting phonenumber.

In one embodiment, a voice identity mapping policy contains transitivemappings, such that a target voice identity of a voice identity mappingis the search voice identity of another voice identity mapping.Optionally, the time attributes may contain overlapping time periods inwhich two or more voice identity mappings are valid at the same time. Insuch an embodiment, a transitive mapping occurs. Policy processor 410may not be able to terminate the processing due to transitive mappings.The policy processor may decide after a number of mapping selections tostop further processing.

In one embodiment, the policy processor 410 stops after a set numberiterations of finding matching voice identity mappings.

In one embodiment, the policy processor 410 checks if a matching voiceidentity mapping was used previously during the processing of the inputvoice identity. If a repeat is found, the policy processor 410determines that the processing may not terminate and stops theprocessing.

In one embodiment, the policy processor 410 checks for repeating targetvoice identity and stops upon a repeat. The policy processor concludesthere is no matching voice identity mapping within the policy.

In one embodiment, the policy processor determines existence oftransitive mappings and stores in the database 430 voice identities thatcannot be resolved successfully due to the transitive mappings. Uponreceiving the input search voice identity, the policy processor 410first checks if the input search voice identity matches any identifiedirresolvable voice identities before searching for a matching voiceidentity mapping or voice identity mapping policy.

FIG. 4 b illustrates an embodiment where call processing is conducted ina distributed manner. In such an embodiment, the policy processor 410communicates to one or more phone systems 440. Each phone system hascall processing capability to forward a phone number to another phonenumber. Typically phone systems 440 can store a list of forwardingentries.

In one embodiment, human operators upon receipt of work orders configurethe forwarding entries manually.

In one embodiment, phone systems 440 have an application programminginterface allowing another system to automatically configure theforwarding entries.

In FIG. 4 b, after the policy processor 410 receives a voice identitymapping policy as described for FIG. 3, it processes the voice identitymappings in a voice identity mapping policy, to determine, based on thetime attributes, the date and time when the voice identity mappingsshould be activated or de-activated. The policy processor 410 determinesthe next time instance when one or more of the voice identity mappingsare to be activated. It sets up a timer for the time instance. Itmonitors the time based on the time input from the clock 434. When thetimer expires, the policy processor 410 retrieves the voice identitymapping policy associated with the time from the data storage 430.Policy processor 410 selects all voice identity mappings that are to beactivated at a particular time, processes the selected voice identitymappings into a list of phone number forwarding mappings. It furthersplits the list of phone number forwarding mappings into multiple lists,one for each of phone systems 440 based on the phone numbers owned byeach phone system. The policy processor 410 generates, for each list ofphone number forwarding mappings intended for a phone system, aforwarding configuration 416. It then passes the forwardingconfiguration 416 to the phone systems 440.

In one embodiment, the forwarding configuration is a work order suchthat a human operator can configure the phone system 440.

In another embodiment, forwarding configuration 416 is sent to the phonesystem 440 using the application programming interface for phonesystems. In addition to sending the forwarding configuration lists tothe phone systems 440, the policy processor 410 sets up a timer for thenext voice identity mapping activation change, either to activate avoice identity mapping or to deactivate a voice identity mapping.

In one embodiment, the each of phone systems 440 may have differentphone number forwarding capabilities. For example, phone system 440 amay not handle transitive forwarding mappings; while phone systems 440 band 440 c can. When the policy processor 410 generates the forwardingconfiguration list for phone system 440 a, it retrieves the informationabout the capability of the phone system 440 a from the data storage430. It then resolves all transitive mappings in the forwardingconfiguration and generates a forwarding configuration withouttransitive mapping.

In FIG. 4 b, a caller makes a call from a phone 450. The phone numberinformation 402 is sent to the phone system 440 a. The phone system 440a checks against the forwarding mapping configuration to see if there isa matching forwarding mapping. If a matching forwarding mapping exists,phone system 440 a determines the next phone number to which the callshould be forwarded based on the forwarding mappings, and uses the nextphone number for call routing. If no matching forwarding mapping exists,the phone system 440 a continues the call routing based on the originalphone number. Phone system 440 a, upon call routing processing, which isknown to the skill in the art, may determine that the next phone numberbelongs to phone system 440 b. The phone system 440 a would then passphone number 407, which may be the next phone number, to the phonesystem 440 b. The phone system 440 b processes the incoming phone numbersimilarly to that of the phone system 440 a, and may determine that thenext phone number belongs to phone system 440 c. The phone system 440 bwould then pass the phone number information 408 to the phone system 440c. The phone system 440 c processes the incoming phone number 408similarly to that of phone system 440 a. This process continues withzero or more phone systems until a phone system determines there are noforwarding mappings and routes the call according to its internalrouting protocols.

FIG. 5 illustrates an operator offering voice identity mapping services.

Telephone service operator 500 offers a plurality of voice servicesprovided by a plurality of phone systems Class 5 telephony switch 551,corporate PBX 552, mobile switching center 553, and IP telephone system554. In one embodiment the plurality of voice services includeresidential voice services, corporate voice services, mobile voiceservices, and voice over IP services. In one embodiment, Class 5telephony switch 551 provides residential voice services; corporate PBX552 provides corporate voice services; mobile switching center 553provides mobile voice services; and IP telephony system 554 providesvoice over IP services. Telephone service operator 500 offers voiceidentity mapping services among the phone systems Class 5 telephonyswitch 551, corporate PBX 552, mobile switching center 553, and IPtelephone system 554. Operator 500 includes policy processor 510 anddata storage 530. Data storage 530 includes voice identity mappingpolicies for the voice identity mapping services. Policy processor 510connects to data storage 530 and the plurality of phone systems Class 5telephony switch 551, corporate PBX 552, mobile switching center 553,and IP telephone system 554.

Foregoing described embodiments of the invention are provided asillustrations and descriptions. They are not intended to limit theinvention to precise form described. In particular, it is contemplatedthat functional implementation of invention described herein may beimplemented equivalently in hardware, software, firmware, and/or otheravailable functional components or building blocks, and that networksmay be wired, wireless, or a combination of wired and wireless. Othervariations and embodiments are possible in light of above teachings, andit is thus intended that the scope of invention not be limited by thisDetailed Description, but rather by Claims following.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system to map a voice identity, comprising: oneor more phone systems for providing one or more voice services, thephone systems comprising one or more telephony switches performing callrouting of the voice identity; at least one policy processor coupled tothe telephony switches for receiving the voice identity from the one ormore telephony switches; and at least one voice identity mapping policyused in providing the voice services and stored in a data storage, thedata storage being accessible to the at least one policy processor, thevoice identity mapping policy comprising: a plurality of search voiceidentities mapped to one or more target voice identities, wherein theplurality of the search voice identities are applicable to a pluralityof users, and time attributes indicating when the voice identity mappingpolicies are valid, wherein in response to receiving the voice identityfrom the one or more telephony switches, the at least one policyprocessor matches the voice identity to a given search voice identity,wherein the given search voice identity is mapped by the policyprocessor to a given target voice identity according to the at least onevoice identity mapping policy, wherein voice identity, the given searchvoice identity, and the given target voice identity each comprises ausername, wherein the at least one policy processor sends the giventarget voice identity comprising the username to the one or moretelephony switches, wherein in response to receiving the given targetvoice identity comprising the username, the one or more telephonyswitches routes the call using the username.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein at least one of the phone systems comprises a private branchexchange (PBX), a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a voice overinternet protocol (VOIP) network, or a wireless telephone network. 3.The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one policy processorcomprises a software application executed in at least one of the phonesystems' application server, a stand-alone computer coupled to at leastone of the phone systems, or an application specific integrated circuit(ASIC) coupled to at least one of the phone systems.
 4. The system ofclaim 2, wherein the VOIP network provides a VOIP service based oninstant message (IM) technologies.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein theusername comprises an IM identity or an email account identity.
 6. Thesystem of claim 2, wherein the VOIP network provides a corporate phoneservice, wherein the username comprises an employee's computer useridentity.
 7. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of phonesystems and a telephone operator for operating the at least one policyprocessor and the plurality of phone systems to provide a plurality ofvoice services used in the voice identity mapping policies, thetelephone operator having access to the data storage.
 8. The system ofclaim 7, wherein the plurality of voice services comprises at least oneof the following: a corporate voice service; a residential voiceservice; a VOIP service; or a mobile voice service.
 9. The system ofclaim 7, wherein at least two of the plurality of phone systems providedifferent voice services.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the voiceidentity mapping policy further comprises: the plurality of search voiceidentities transitively mapped to the one or more target voiceidentities, wherein the plurality of search voice identities areapplicable to the plurality of users, wherein a voice identity matches afirst search voice identity of a first phone system, wherein the firstsearch voice identity is mapped by the at least one policy processor toa first target voice identity of a second phone system according to afirst mapping policy, wherein the first target voice identity matches asecond search voice identity of a second mapping policy, wherein thesecond search voice identity is mapped by the at least one policyprocessor to a second target voice identity of a third phone systemaccording to the second mapping policy, wherein the second target voiceidentity is different from the first search voice identity, wherein thesearch voice identities, the first target voice identity, and the secondtarget voice identity comprises the username for one of the plurality ofusers.
 11. A method for processing voice identity mappings, comprising:receiving a voice identity for a recipient of an initial voice call byat least one policy processor from one or more telephony switchesperforming call routing of the voice identity; checking for at least onevoice identity mapping policy associated with the voice identity, the atleast one voice identity mapping policy comprising: a plurality ofsearch voice identities mapped to one or more target voice identities,wherein the plurality of the search voice identities are applicable to aplurality of users, and a time attribute indicating when the voiceidentity mapping policy is valid; in response to receiving the voiceidentity from the one or more telephony switches, matching the voiceidentity to a given search voice identity; mapping the given searchvoice identity to a given target voice identity according to the atleast one voice identity mapping policy, wherein the voice identity, thegiven search identity, and the given target identity each comprise ausername; and sending the given target voice identity comprising theusername to the one or more telephony switches, wherein the one or moretelephone switches routes the initial voice call to the target voiceidentity using the username.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein theinitial call is made from one of a plurality of phone systems, whereinthe plurality of phone systems comprise a private branch exchange (PBX),a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a voice over internetprotocol (VOIP) network, or a wireless telephone network.
 13. The methodof claim 12, wherein the checking is performed by the at least onepolicy processor, wherein the at least one policy processor comprises asoftware application executed in the phone system's application server,a stand-alone computer coupled to the phone system, or an applicationspecific integrated circuit (ASIC) coupled to the phone system.
 14. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the VOIP network provides a VOW servicebased on instant message (IM) technologies.
 15. The method of claim 14,wherein the username of the voice identity comprises an IM identity oran email account identity.
 16. The method of claim 12, wherein the VOIPnetwork provides a corporate phone service, wherein the username of thevoice identity comprises an employee's computer user identity.
 17. Themethod of claim 11, wherein the checking is performed by a telephoneoperator for operating the at least one policy processor and a pluralityof phone systems to provide a plurality of voice services used in the atleast one voice identity mapping policy.
 18. The method of claim 17,wherein the plurality of voice services comprises at least one of thefollowing: a corporate voice service; a residential voice service; aVOIP service; or a mobile voice service.
 19. The method of claim 17,wherein at least two of the plurality of phone systems provide differentvoice services.
 20. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least onevoice identity mapping policy further comprises: the plurality of searchvoice identities transitively mapped to the one or more target voiceidentities, wherein the plurality of search voice identities areapplicable to the plurality of users, wherein a voice identity matches afirst search voice identity of a first phone system, wherein the firstsearch voice identity is mapped by the at least one policy processor toa first target voice identity of a second phone system according to afirst mapping policy, wherein the first target voice identity matches asecond search voice identity of a second mapping policy, wherein thesecond search voice identity is mapped by the at least one policyprocessor to a second target voice identity of a third phone systemaccording to the second mapping policy, wherein the second target voiceidentity is different from the first search voice identity, wherein thesearch voice identities, the first target voice identity, and the secondtarget voice identity comprises the username for one of the plurality ofusers.